New Stake in Georgia
A new stake was organized in Georgia. The Conyers Georgia Stake was created from the Atlanta Georgia, Jonesboro Georgia (renamed Fayetteville Georgia), and Lilborn Georgia Stakes and appears to include five wards and two branches. The new stake becomes the first new stake organized since the Cartersville Georgia Stake in 2006. There are now 16 stakes in Georgia.
New Stake in South Africa
Members and missionaries in the Johannesburg, South Africa area report that a new stake was organized today named the Centurion South Africa Stake. The new stake was organized from the Pretoria South Africa Stake and is the first new stake organized since the Port Elizabeth South Africa Stake in 2005. There are now 12 stakes and four districts in South Africa.
Church attendance climbs in Mahajanga, Madagascar
Full-time missionaries opened Mahajanga to missionary work 18 months ago and currently there are over 110 attending church meetings. The rented facility used for church services no longer effectively administers the size of the congregation, prompting a search for a new meetinghouse. The organization of additional congregations in Mahajanga appears highly likely within the next year as long as sufficient numbers of local priesthood holders are available.
First district to be organized in Angola in April
Members living in Luanda report that the three branches in the city will be organized into a district this April. The Church continues to steady grow but ongoing challenges obtaining missionary visas and adequate buildings for congregations delay greater progress.
Area branches organized in the Middle East and Africa
Four area branches have been organized in Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. Prior to the organization of the new branches, there were only three area branches in operation (Asia North Area, Europe East Area, and the Middle East/Africa North Area Branches). These new area branches appear similar if not identical to administrative branches and provide a means of organizing few members in remote areas that meet in small groups. The Djibouti Military Branch continues to operate, bringing the number of LDS congregations in Djibouti to two.
4 comments:
amazing how you predicted last month that the wave of revolutions and change in the middle east would see future prospects for church growth springing up.
Then suddenly, the church creates branches in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. Although political instability is still shaken in these nations (more so in Libya), am I correct in saying this is the church's first real presence within the "Islamic world"?
Now Gaddafi can join the church!
Also, the gospel seems to be booming in Madagascar. It is all down to rapid congregational + membership growth + exceptional retention rates.
Africa potentially could hold more members and congregations than any other continent in the not too distant future. In the western world, the rising tide of secularism motivated by individual greed and a lack of interest in religion may have curbed growth in europe; but the gospel will become so huge in Africa it will paint over the "Secular effect". Whilst the humanitarian aid and the growing unity and service of a rapidly increasing membership will see the continent develop and leap out of the stricken poverty and austerity which has held it back since the mid 20th century.
Africa will become the land of the gospel.
Matt,
What's your source for the Middle East area branches.
The new Conyers stake has the Conyers, Covington, Snellville, Centerville, Jonesboro, Flint River, and Stockbridge wards, with the Jackson and Yellow River(Spanish) branches. The Collins Hill ward is now in the Lilburn stake.
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